Omnipresence (Haazir Naazir) of Prophet peace be upon him according to Quran and Classical Mufassireen.
The commentaries of the classical Mufassireen over three verses of the Quran will clear this issue inshaAllah.
Verse no. 1
Allah says in Surah Yusuf verse 102.
“That is of thenews of the Ghayb (Unseen) which We reveal to you. You were not (present) withthem when they arranged their plan together, and (while) they were plotting.)”
Verse no. 2
Allah says in Aal e Imran verse 44.
“That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, [O Muhammad]. And you were not with them when they cast their pens as to which of them should be responsible for Mary. Nor were you with them when they disputed.”
Verse no. 3
Allah says in Surah al Qasas verse 44.
And you, [O Muhammad], were not on the western side [of the mount] when We revealed to Moses the command, and you were not among the witnesses [to that].
Verse no. 4
Allah says:
“That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, [O Muhammad]. You knew it not, neither you nor your people, before this. So be patient; indeed, the [best] outcome is for the righteous.” [11:49]
The commentaries.
a) al Qurtubi
b) al Baydawi
c) Imam Ibn JareerTabree (224 – 310 AH) s
d) Ibn Katheer
e) Ibn al Jawzi
f) Nasfi said:
g) al Baghwi
h) Ibn Atiyah (d 546 h)
i) al Khaazin (d 725 h)
j) Abu Hayaan al Andalusi
k) Abu Bakr Jassas (d 370 h)
a) al Qurtubi said
وما كنت يا محمد لديهم، أي بحضرتهم وعندهم.
You O Muhammad (peace be upon him) were not with them, meaning you were not present with them. [Tafsir al Qurtubi under 3:44]
He also said:
{ وَمَا كنتَ مِنَ ٱلشَّاهِدِينَ } أي من الحاضرين.
“you were not among the witnesses” meaning you were not among those who were present. [Tafsir al Qurtubi under Surah al Qasas verse 44]
Then he said:
{ وَلَكِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ } أي أرسلناك في أهل مكة، وآتيناك كتاباً فيه هذه الأخبار: ولولا ذلك لما علمتها.
“but it is We Who send messengers” meaning we have sent you to the people of Makkah, and revealed this book in which these stories are mentioned, IF IT WAS NOT REVEALED, YOU WOULD NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS. [Tafsir al Qurtubi under Surah al Qasas verse 45]
Then he said:
النحاس: أي لم تشهد قصص الأنبياء، ولا تليت عليك، ولكنا بعثناك وأوحيناها إليك للرحمة.
An-Nahhas said: You were NOT WITNESS OVER THESE STORIES OF THE PROPHETS, Neither anyone told you about this, rather WE have sent you as a messenger and sent a wahyy as a mercy. [Tafsir al Qurtubi under Surah al Qasas verse 46]
then he said:
أي لم تشاهد تلك الأخبار، ولكن أوحيناها إليك رحمة بمن أرسلت إليهم لتنذرهم بها
Meaning you WERE NOT WITNESS OVER THESE NEWS, rather WE have sent wahyy as a mercy to them, so that you may warn them through these verses. [Tafsir al Qurtubi under Surah al Qasas verse 46]
He also said
يا محمد من أمر يوسف من أخبار الغيب «نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ» أي نعلمك بوحي هذا إليك. { وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ } أي مع إخوة يوسف { إِذْ أَجْمَعُوۤاْ أَمْرَهُمْ } في إلقاء يوسف في الجبّ. { وَهُمْ يَمْكُرُونَ } أي بيوسف في إلقائه في الجبّ. وقيل: «يَمْكُرُونَ» بيعقوب حين جاؤوه بالقميص مُلطَّخاً بالدم؛ أي ما شاهدت تلك الأحوال، ولكن الله أطلعك عليها.
O Muhammad (peace be upon him) the news of unseen regarding Yusuf (peace be upon him) “which We reveal to you” we have let you know about this through the wahyy, “You were not with them” with the brothers of Yusuf “when they arranged their plan together” when they agreed to throw Yusuf into the well. “and (while) they were plotting” i.e. when they were plotting to throw Yusuf into the well, it is also said: “they were plotting” means they were plotting that they will show Yaqoob (peace be upon him) the shirt filled with blood, YOU WERE NOT WITNESSING THESE THINGS, RATHER WE HAVE REVEALED THIS TO YOU. [Tafsir al Qurtubi under Surah al Yusuf verse 102]
b) al Baydawi said:
أن هذا النبأ غيب لم تعرفه إلا بالوحي لأنك لم تحضر إخوة يوسف
These are news of unseen which you were not aware of untill we have revealed wahyy, you were NOT HAAZIR (Present) with the brothers of Yusuf. [Tafsir al Baydawi under Surah al Yusuf verse 102]
He also said:
والخطاب لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أي ما كنت حاضراً.
The khitab is for Prophet peace be upon him that YOU WERE NOT PRESENT. [Tafsir al Baydawi under 28:44]
c) Imam Ibn JareerTabree (224 – 310 AH) said in the commentary of the above verse
يقول: وما كنت حاضراًعند إخوة يوسف، إذأجمعوا واتفقت آراؤهم وصحّتعزائمهم علـى أن يُـلقوايوسف فـي غيابة الـجبّ،
Allah says:You were not Present (Haazir) with the brothers of Yusuf Peace be upon him whenthey arranged their plan together, to throw Yusuf into the well..(end quote)
He also said
يقول تعالى ذكره لنبيه محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم : هذه القصة التي أنبأتك بها من قصة نوح وخبره وخبر قومه ( من أنباء الغيب ) ، يقول : هي من أخبار الغيب التي لم تشهدها فتعلمها
Allah says to his Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, this story of Nuh (aleh salam) and his nation, which we have informed you is “the news of the unseen” You were not WITNESS (SHAAHID) of this news so that you may know. [Tafsir at-Tabri under 11:49]
d) Ibn Katheer said:
أي: ما كنت عندهم يا محمد فتخبرهم عنهم معاينة عما جرى، بل أطلعك الله على ذلك كأنك حاضر وشاهد لما كان من أمرهم حين اقترعوا في شأن مريم أيهم يكفلها، وذلك لرغبتهم في الأجر
meaning, “You were not with them, O Muhammad, so you cannot narrate what happened to the people as an eye witness. Rather, Allah disclosed these facts to you as if you were a witness, when they conducted a lottery to choose the custodian of Maryam, seeking the reward of this good deed.” [Tafsir Ibn Kathir under 3:44]
He also said:
{ نُوحِيهِإِلَيْكَ } ونعلمك به يامحمد؛ لما فيه منالعبرة لك، والاتعاظ لمنخالفك { وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ} حاضراً عندهم، ولامشاهداًلهم
(which We reveal to you.) and inform you of, O Muhammad,because it carries a lesson, for you to draw from and a reminder to those whodefy you.’ Allah said next﴾`(You were not with them), you were not Haazir (Present) with them nor saw them. [under Surah al Yusaf verse 102]
He again said:
أي وما كنت حاضراً لذلك، ولكن الله أوحاه إليك، وهكذا لما أخبره عن نوح وقومه
`YOU WERE NOT PRESENT THEN, but Allah has revealed this to you.’ Similarly, Allah told him about Nuh and his people, and how He saved Nuh and drowned his people [Tafsir Ibn Kathir under 28:44]
Then he said:
أي: ما كنت مشاهداً لشيء من ذلك، ولكن الله تعالى أوحاه إليك، وأخبرك به؛ رحمة منه بك وبالعباد، وبإرسالك إليهم
`YOU WERE NOT WITNESS to any of those things, but Allah has revealed them to you and told you about them as a mercy from Him to you and to His servants, by sending you to them. [Tafsir Ibn Kathir under 28:44]
Ibn Kathir also said:
يقول تعالى لنبيه [ ورسوله محمد ] صلى الله عليه وسلم . هذه القصة وأشباهها ( من أنباء الغيب ) يعني : من أخبار الغيوب السالفة نوحيها إليك على وجهها [ وجليتها ] ، كأنك شاهدها ، ( نوحيها إليك ) أي : نعلمك بها وحيا منا إليك ، ( ما كنت تعلمها أنت ولا قومك من قبل هذا ) أي : لم يكن عندك ولا عند أحد من قومك علم بها ، حتى يقول من يكذبك : إنك تعلمتها منه ، بل أخبرك الله بها مطابقة لما كان عليه الأمر الصحيح ، كما تشهد به كتب الأنبياء قبلك ، فاصبر على تكذيب من كذبك من قومك وأذاهم لك ،
Allah, the Exalted, says to His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad peace be upon him concerning these stories and their like, (of the news of the Unseen) from the information of the unseen of the past. Allah revealed it to you (the Prophet ) in the way that it occurred, as if he witnessed it himself. (which We reveal unto you;) This means, “We teach it to you (Muhammad) as revelation from Us to you.” ََََََََََََََُُُِِْْْ(neither you nor your people knew it before this.) This means that neither you (Muhammad ) nor anyone of your people, have any knowledge of this. This is so that no one who rejects you can say that you learned it from him. Rather, it was Allah Who informed you of it in conformity with the true situation (of the story), just as the Books of the Prophets who were before you testify to. [Tafsir Ibn Kathir under 11:59]
e) Ibn al Jawzi said:
وفي هذا احتجاج على صحة نبوَّة نبينا صلى الله عليه وسلم، لأنه لم يشاهد تلك القصة، ولا كان يقرأ الكتاب، وقد أخبر عنها بهذا الكلام المعجز.
In it there is evidence of the truthfulness of the Prophet’s peace be upon him Prophethood, as HE WAS NOT WITNESS OVER THIS STORY, Nor he read it in any book, rather it was revealed to him which is a Miracle. [Zaad al Maseer li Ibn al Jawzi under Surah al Yusuf verse 102]
f) Nasfi said:
والمعنى أن هذا النبأ غيب لم يحصل لك إلا من جهة الوحي لأنك لم تحضر بني يعقوب حين اتفقوا على إلقاء أخيهم في البئر
Meaning these are the news of unseen which can not be acquired without the wahyy, YOU WERE NOT HAAZIR (PRESENT) with the sons of Yaqoob (peace be upon him) when they agreed to throw their brother into the well. [Tafsir al Madarak under Surah al Yusuf verse 102]
g) al Baghwi said:
{ وَمَا كنتَ مِنَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ } ، الحاضرين ذلك المقام فتذكره من ذات نفسك.
“You were not among the witness” among those WHO WERE PRESENT ON THAT PLACE.. [Mu`alim at-Tanzil under 28:44]
h) Ibn Atiyah (d 546 h) said:
المعنى ولم تحضر يا محمد هذه الغيوب التي تخبر بها
Meaning YOU WERE NOT HAAZIR (PRESENT) O Muhammad (peace be upon him), these are the Ghuyub which we have revealed to you. [al Muharrar al Wajeez under 28:44]
i) al Khaazin (d 725 h) said:
وما كنت من الشاهدين } يعني الحاضرين ذلك المقام
“You were not among the witness” among those WHO WERE PRESENT ON THAT PLACE.. [Tafsir al Khaazin under 28:44]
j) Abu Hayaan al Andalusi said:
وهو أنه لم يحضر وقت قضاء الله لموسى الأمر، ثم ثنى بكونه لم يكن من الشاهدين. والمعنى، والله أعلم؛ من الشاهدين بجميع ما أعلمناك به، فهو نفي لشهادته جميع ما جرى لموسى،
He (peace be upon him) WAS NOT PRESENT at the time of Judgment of Allah regarding Musa (peace be upon him) [Tafsir al Bhr al Muheet under 28:44]
k) Abu Bakr Jassas (d 370 h)
It Is mentioned in Ahkam al-Quran by Imam Abu Bakr Jassaas (370 h)
Narrated by Aqba bin Amir Ra
جَاءَ خَصْمَانِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ : ” اقْضِ بَيْنَهُمَا يَا عُقْبَةُ ” قُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَقْضِي بَيْنَهما وَأَنْتَ حَاضِرٌ
Two rivals came to Prophet peace be upon him, He said “O Aqba resolve the issue between them.” I said O Messenger of Allah be judge between them you are present.[Ahkam al-Quran Vol 2 page 213, Imam Hakim Narrated these words with different chain from Abdullah bin Amr in al-Mustadrak Kitab al-Ahkam]
Imam al-Jassaas said
فأما الحالان اللتان كانتا يجوز فيهما الاجتهاد في حياة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فإحداهما في حال غيبتهم عن حضرته , كما أمر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم معاذا حين بعثه إلى اليمن
As for these two situations Ijtehad is allowed in the life of Prophet peace be upon him. One of the situation is when Prophet peace be upon him is not present there, like Prophet peace be upon him ordered Muaadh (ra) to Yemen. [Ahkam ul Qur`an Vol 2 under Surah an-Nisa]
The Creed of Imam Abu Bakar Jassas (370 h) is clear that Prophet peace be upon him is not present and witnessing. The Prophet peace be upon him was not present and witnessing when he sent Muaadh ra to Yemen.